The Russian adoption ban

The article below is from the Washington Post. I saw it and it was also sent to me by my friend Nancy.

I know several people who've adopted from Russia including friends with a large family - all but one adopted - who have two children with disabilities adopted from Russia. The children are flourishing now.

This is an eloquent column.The author and a link to his organization is below the excerpt. 

Hope after Russia’s adoption ban: Adopting justice

I once heard Pastor Chuck Swindoll say: “A litmus test for false vs. true religion is by its response to injustice. The test of our theology is passed or failed by one’s response to the weakest and most helpless in our society.”

I believe one of the most important fights to be fought today is on behalf of the orphan.

Last week, with the stroke of a pen, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law that shockingly robbed thousands of Russian children of their hope for a family. Last year, almost 1,000 Russian children came home to moms and dads in America. This year, hundreds more expecting to come home to American families have been told, “you have more value to us as a pawn in a political game than as a human being who deserves a family. Due to political considerations, your rights to a family have been voided. “

What must it feel like to be one of those children? Psychologist, Jon Bergeron, Ph.D. (Hope for Orphans) says “this outcome will be devastating to these children due to the fact that their dreams for the future will be dashed. Now they know they will be facing a future in an institution rather than having the protection and security of a family. The massive harm from not being able to learn basic relational skills in a family will be great and lifelong.”

Where is our government and the UN? Where is the global accountability demanded of any country that for political purposes apparently sees a child’s need for a family as irrelevant? We sanction countries around obvious child abuse issues such as sex trafficking and human slavery, yet no public outcry is made when helpless children are used as political pawns and deprived of hope for a loving family.

Regardless of if and when governments step up to help, this issue should move the heart of every Christian. As Christians, we believe that we are adopted into the family of God through faith in the redemptive work of Christ. Having experienced the joy of spiritual adoption, how can we sit idly by and watch innocent children robbed of their earthly adoptions?

Paul Pennington is co-founder and executive director of Hope For Orphans, a ministry of FamilyLife that equips local churches to build orphan care ministries and address the global orphan crisis.

Comments

[Ellen Mullin]

It is a sad day for humanity when children are used, and their rights as children of God first and foremost are ignored.
Ellen M.

[Nancy]

We have to pray.